Delhi High Court to Hear Petition Against CM SHRI Schools' Entrance Tests

An 11-year-old student has petitioned the Delhi High Court challenging the Delhi Government's entrance test policy for Classes VI-VIII in CM SHRI Schools, claiming it violates the Right to Education Act's ban on screening. The court is set to take up the case on Friday.

An 11-year-old student named Janmesh Sagar has brought a petition to the Delhi High Court, following advice from the Supreme Court to seek resolution there. The petition challenges the Delhi Government's policy of mandating entrance tests for Classes VI, VII, and VIII in CM SHRI Schools, arguing that this requirement acts as an illegal screening procedure. This screening is prohibited under Section 13 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and infringes on the fundamental right to education as guaranteed by Article 21-A of the Constitution.

The petitioner specifically targets a circular dated July 23, 2025, which introduced the admission tests for these classes. The petition claims the scheme is in direct violation of the statutory ban on any form of screening of children or parents at the elementary education level. The plea calls for a judicial declaration affirming that Section 13 of the RTE Act applies evenly across all elementary schools, including Specified Category Schools as delineated in Section 2(p) of the Act.

The plea emphasizes that CM SHRI Schools, as government-run institutions, should not be exempt from these statutory protections. It argues further that subjecting young children to entrance exams is arbitrary and unconstitutional, contradicting the legislative intent to provide equitable and non-discriminatory access to elementary education. The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies.)